Title: A Technicality in His Sins

Author: Gold-Snitcher

Chapter Three: Chaos Rendered

---------------------------------

Once you get beyond the crust of the first pang

It is all the same and you can easily bear it.

It is just the transition from painlessness to pain

that is so terrible.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 'Bring Me A Unicorn'

----------------------------------

One week before the students were to return to Hogwarts, Severus found himself walking the hallway to the Library in the middle of the night. It was his habit to avoid the library during popular hours because, despite Madame Pince's greatest efforts, the students were still noisy and Severus found it frustrating. The habit was so ingrained that it carried over to his holidays when the library was always empty, even of Madame Pince.

Which was another reason why Severus paused – stunned -- in the entrance to the library that evening. The first reason being that Harry Potter had been elusive since he had been brought to spend the rest of his summer at the school, and Severus himself had only seen him twice and that was a good while ago. And the second reason being that Harry Potter's appearance had changed.

Once a scrawny, gangly sort of thing, ill-clad in baggy attire, and continually looking sheepish and irritatingly innocent, this Harry Potter -- the one that sat before him now -- had undergone quite the transformation. For once the boy was properly clad in appropriate and well-fitted wizarding attire – black pants and a black button-down complemented the lean frame, and a long black cloak with deep red on the inside was thrown over his shoulders. He looked pale, though the boy had always seemed thus, and there was a flush to his cheeks as if he had been running very fast. Severus assumed he had recently come in from the hunt.

"Professor," the youth greeted, looking up from his work and giving Severus a cautious look that reminded the man that he still stood in the doorway, staring at his student.

"Potter," Severus replied, and then drew himself up and swept in his usual brisk manner to the appropriate section of the library and buried himself in the stacks. He was still there, meticulously working through the stacks that contained pertinent books when he heard the quiet footfalls that he had come to associate with the only other vampire occupying Hogwarts.

"You are working again?" came Gaedrian's distinctive voice. Severus pretended not to listen as he perused the table of contents in another text. Not that it mattered, he was well hidden in the back of the library, but then again, Severus was only too aware that vampires had amazingly keen senses. "If you overtax yourself, you will make it worse," Gaedrian said, sounding a bit closer. Severus frowned wondering what was happening with Harry that his sire should sound so concerned.

"It's not so bad," Harry replied, and Severus noted for the first time, the strain that was in the young man's voice.

"Which is why you are attempting to distract yourself in this manner," Gaedrian responded disbelievingly. "What is it today?" There was a pause and a shuffle; Severus assumed the older vampire was perusing the books that Harry had stacked about him. "You should not waste your time, thus," Gaedrian said, his voice sounding amused and fond.

"It's not wasting my time if it keeps me awake and distracts me," Harry returned. "I feel like I'm going insane." His voice sounded muffled, and Severus shifted, trying to peer out from between the rows of bookshelves and get a view. Harry had raised his hands to his face and was rubbing his temples.

"I will increase the warding on your room," Gaedrian offered.

"It won't help. It's the building itself. It's everyone in it. It's everyone outside of it. It's absolutely every little thing and it only gets worse each day."

"You will adjust to it in time, I can assure you," Gaedrian said. He had moved to stand behind Harry's chair and had taken over the task that Harry's fingers had been working on, rubbing gently at the temples.

"If I'm not driven insane first. And don't tell me that this is normal. I've bloody well read every book you gave me on vampiric abilities and nothing like this has been reported before. I'm damn will sick of being special."

Gaedrian laughed and smoothed down Harry's hair, shaking his head when it bounced back into disarray. "It is unprecedented. But it is something that I would imagine would have happened if someone along the lines of Merlin were ever turned. Fortunately, or unfortunately, no vampire was fool enough to turn someone as powerful as Merlin, and so there is no documentation for you."

"Great, pick on me because I'm young," Harry huffed. "See what hell you've condemned me to." But from his tone it was obvious he was only partly serious.

"We will work harder. Hopefully you'll have established some decent barriers by the time the students arrive."

"I don't even want to talk about that," Harry sighed. Severus noticed Gaedrian's hand tightening where it gripped Harry's shoulder, before he withdrew it and turned away, heading out of the library.

"I'll start the re-warding. Both of our rooms are already quite isolated, so the return of the students shouldn't affect you too drastically, at least when you are in your room. I'll see what I can do." He was at the library doors and turned back, but Severus noticed Harry's head was bent, probably having returned to his reading. Gaedrian quietly shut the doors behind him.

Severus took his time perusing the books, but Harry was still there when he left, and though he paused a brief moment near Harry's table, debating whether it was appropriate to say 'good-night' or not, Harry did not look up from his books even once, so Severus left as quietly as he could, mind already working on the puzzle that the information he had overheard had presented him

………………………….

Three days later found Severus sipping tea in the headmaster's office. It had become a bit of a tradition, the weekly teas, and Severus grudgingly admitted, to himself only, that they were enjoyable and relaxing. As much as Albus Dumbledore tended to frustrate him, the man was still his mentor and as close to a father as Severus had ever gotten. "Have you decided on how to handle Potter?" Severus found himself asking, happy that he had managed a disinterested tone. He was hoping that the headmaster would be able to shed some light on the peculiar conversation he had overheard three days prior. Severus, though admittedly a bit of a night owl, rarely left his rooms unless he was checking to make sure students were upholding the rules of the school. During breaks, he often spent his extra time reading or creating potions. And since both Harry and his sire had been elusive anyway, Severus had not had the opportunity to explore the latest information.

"It is a difficult situation," Albus agreed, steepling his fingers and peering over his half-moon glasses. "I think it best to announce the nature of the situation before suspicion and curiosity has the chance to get out of control."

"It's about time you attempted the curb the gossip," Severus pointed out. He had always been against cultivating the gossip mill at the school, but Albus never attempted to dissuade rumours claiming that it sometimes distracted people from the real issues, which were sometimes secret.

"I will make it clear he is not attending classes here, of course. Which brings me to another issue," Albus said, and Severus knew right away that this was a lead-in to something that Albus was going to try to convince Severus to do; he just knew it. "Harry will have to have his lessons, and you have already said that you are willing to teach him."

"I have no issue with his vampirism. It is as necessary today that he be educated as it was prior to the attack on his home. More so now, I think, since his altered nature will attract more danger to him."

"Very good, I appreciate this. It has come to my attention, however, that Harry has been coming into some new abilities that will need to be fostered. I must admit that I am at a loss as to what will help him for parts of his growing power. I assume I may end-up having someone from outside of the school come to tutor him in coping. For now, though, there is something that I can do, and that is ask you if you will resume Occlumency as well as Legilemency lessons with him."

Severus sat still a moment and let his thoughts broil. He had made his peace with Potter, it was true, but there was a very basic part of him that was still very defensive and angry at the memory of a young Harry blustering about in his pensieve where he did not belong. He could understand that the boy did not understand what he was doing, since Severus had heard that Potter had done a similar thing involving the headmaster's pensieve and not been appropriately reprimanded – reprimanded at all, let alone appropriately so. He could also understand the boy's need to know because so much had been and still was kept from him. Still, that did not excuse the action, and a part of him wanted to remain affronted. And if he was to do that effectively, he should turndown this request.

Potter, however, still woefully intrigued another part of him, since his supposed death – and even more so now because of what he had become. He found himself sympathizing with the youth, and fascinated at the same time, and that might have been disturbing, but Severus had always had an overpowering sense of curiosity, and very little defence against it.

"I will endeavour to do so once more," Severus aid slowly. "On the condition that the boy actually practices his lessons."

"I think you will find him most anxious to make progress in this area. I might suggest, however, a different approach. I fear that, given the change in circumstances, your former style would prove too dangerous for you, and much too taxing for him."

"I suppose you will continue to taunt me with references to some strange acquired gift without telling me directly what the boy's power is? No doubt you will use it as some sort of excuse to have me bond with him." Severus was proud both of his sneer and the way he had managed to turn the word 'bond' into a foul term.

"My dear Severus, that would be most unfair and manipulative of me," Albus said with a faint smile. "I suggest you begin the lessons as quickly as you are able. Harry is having quite a difficulty as it is." Severus sat back in his chair and rolled his eyes.

……………………

The knock on his door jolted him from his potion brewing and Severus glanced up at the clock and frowned. It was late, not too late as to be completely unthinkable that a person would be up, but late enough that he could not imagine it being one of his colleagues disturbing him. "Enter," he said, and returned to stirring.

He watched, out of the corner of his eye, as the door to his office opened slowly and Harry Potter stepped in. Severus couldn't help but approve of the boy's new penchant to dress in dark colours before he turned back to his work.

"I didn't mean to disturb you," Harry said, hovering by the door once he had closed it. It was bizarre that he should appear both confident and poised, and nervous and sheepish.

"So long as you have an appropriate reason," Severus said.

Harry sighed and glanced around the office, noting the fire with the cauldron set in it, and the shelves of potion bottles, as well as the cluttered desk. "I was wondering if you had a bottle of headache cure. Poppy's run-out of it and said to go to you."

"A rather simple potion, Potter. I wonder why you are not simply brewing it yourself," Severus snarked as he turned from his brewing and went to the cabinet that held that particular potion. He snarked purely out of habit, and because if he had said something helpful, or simply handed the potion over, Harry would have gotten suspicious, or cocky – or had some sort of reaction which Severus did not feel like dealing with, he was in the middle of brewing, after all.

"Dragon bloom only blossoms in sunlight and I have a bit of a problem with the light," Harry quipped, and Severus paused in taking down the bottle, his lips quirking up in amusement.

"I can see how the thought of turning into a small mound of ash might dissuade you from collecting the required ingredients," Severus said and turned to see Potter's reaction. Surprisingly, he didn't seem affronted or unnerved, he was smirking though, and Severus couldn't help but think that this new Harry looked remarkably Slytherin. "How severe is the headache? And how often do you suffer from it?"

"The severity changes." Though he did not say why that was. "And it's pretty constant, usually quite dull but sometimes more fierce. Poppy's been given me just a general dose."

"And how has that been working?"

"Fine. I take another dose if the headache is stronger, as she prescribed."

"Then I shall give you a larger bottle. If you find you still require it, do return. This is from my private store so you should know it is brewed to be stronger."

"Of course, you would dilute it for the smaller students," Harry said, almost to himself.

"Yes," Severus answered and handed the bottle over.

"So I should take less?"

"Do as you please. Though if it is as bad as you imply, I would recommend you keep the dose constant."

"Thank-you, sir," Harry said, bowing his head slightly and leaving swiftly. Even though he was watching the dark-headed man leave, Severus never heard a sound, not even the faintest swish of robes.

……………………

Severus was seated at the head table watching as the students chattered happily, and the newly sorted first years stared at everything, overwhelmed by it all. He was pleased with the number of Slytherin first years, all of which seemed properly composed – unlike the Gryffindors who were flailing their arms about as they spoke and generally seeming loud and boisterous.

Beside him, Remus Lupin was likewise surveying the students. He had been welcomed back as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and Severus wondered if that wasn't partly to distract from the other supposed dark creatures, being Harry and Gaedrian, who were also being housed at the school. "They seem to get smaller every year," Remus sighed. Severus nodded his head vaguely. He thought a moment about saying he recalled several first years from the past who would have rivalled the minute size of this years – Harry Potter being one, but he thought that might seem too sociable, and so maintained his silence.

As the students finally settled, Albus rose from his chair to make announcements. Along with his typical introductions and rules, he had two extra things to say. "Hogwarts is pleased to welcome back, as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin." To this statement the hall was split, some students roared and applauded and even gave a standing ovation, while others scowled and whispered, looking grim, and the younger students, too young to have had Remus before, seemed uncertain how to proceed since the older students, whose example they were following, seemed to be having such diverse reactions.

"Intending on lasting more than a year this round, Lupin?" Severus asked.

"I intend on trying, Severus," Remus said as he resettled in his seat after rising and acknowledging his welcome.

"Also, I have a very important announcement concerning one of our own students. As a result of an attack on his home, Harry Potter has become a walker of the night." This statement was met with several gasps and a few confused looks, which quickly turned to horror when other students explained. "As a result, he will not be attending regular classes, however he is currently residing in Hogwarts along with his sire, and will receive private lessons. I would hope that the students of this school show appropriate manners and decorum towards our guest, and towards Mr. Potter. Thank-you." When Albus retook his seat, the students were still whispering frantically.

"Oh dear," Remus sighed, and Severus followed his line of sight to see Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger looking quite stricken. "I had hoped they might react somewhat differently," Remus admitted. "I had hoped that the announcement might be delayed long enough for him to tell them himself." Severus quietly agreed but did not voice it. He had already commenced his lessons with Harry and even in such a short amount of time; he was finding it very easy to enjoy the young man's company. He had honestly hoped that at the very least, Harry's two closest friends might remain loyal, but their reactions did not bode well.

"I am not surprised by their reactions," Severus said.

"You approve?" Remus said, his voice sounding threatening. Severus was forced to recall that Remus had claimed Harry as his cub, and since the werewolf had no other real family, he guarded the boy fiercely.

"The fact that I am tutoring him should demonstrate otherwise," Severus sneered. "But as much as you would try to understand his situation, you must admit that it is quite different from your own. Werewolves are dark creatures, it is true, but they are an irregular threat, dangerous only at times near a full moon. And their folklore is not all horrid. Vampires, on the other hand, have gotten no positive publicity through the ages, and you must admit that a vampire is always dangerous, unless it is encased in garlic, stabbed in the heart with a stake and sent out for a stroll in the sunlight."

"Rather a gruesome image," Remus said, and his voice sounded very soft. He paused a moment and reached for his goblet, no doubt to wash-down the lump that had entered his throat. As he reached his sleeve road-up on his right arm and Severus caught the dark image of a snake tattoo before Remus shifted the sleeve to cover it. Remus carried-on as if nothing irregular had happened, but Severus felt the world contracting as he attempted to figure-out what that damn vampire was planning. He couldn't help but become even more aware of his own tattoo of a similar serpent on his own right arm. It seemed like a vaguely warm presence on his skin. Severus wondered if Remus was feeling similar warmth in his own. He wondered what it meant.

………………………

Harry stood in the shadows, watching the students spill out of the Great Hall. They did not see him, he did not want them to, but when he spotted Ron and Hermione exiting he stepped forward. There were not so many students in the hall, and through a little exertion of his will, they did not turn and take notice of him. Ron and Hermione did, however, and they simply stood and stared at him.

"I'm sorry," were the first words to tumble from his mouth. He paused a moment to wonder why on earth he should be sorry, it wasn't as if he could have helped any of it. It wasn't as if he wanted to be turned. "I wanted to tell you myself but … well, I was still sleeping," he supplied with a shy shrug. "Are you," and as he stepped forward, Ron seemed to jerk into action, standing between Harry and Hermione.

"Don't," Ron said. Harry felt as if he were breaking into a million pieces.

"Okay," Harry said. "Look, I don't … I'm not dangerous," he tried. "I know the stories you've probably heard but--" He couldn't continue. His head, despite his attempts at occlumency was flooding with thought and feeling, and it was pounding and he felt woozy. He wondered when his powers would settle and stop fluctuating because it was pure agony most of the time; despite his and Gaedrian's and Snape's best efforts to soften the ache.

"I honestly don't know what to think," Ron said, and looked bewildered and a bit sorry.

"That's fine," Harry said. "That's okay. Just don't …" he wasn't sure what he was asking them not to do. There seemed so many things, and yet nothing that he could ask of them.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said, and she sounded like she really meant it, but she was shrinking back from him.

"I won't hurt you!" he snapped, except that was exactly the wrong thing to do, because they seemed utterly terrified of him now.

"Harry?" Gaedrian called, and Harry turned to look down the hallway where he felt his sire coming.

"Sorry," Hermione said again, and Harry turned back just in time to see both Hermione and Ron turning and heading away from him. He thought for a moment, if he should go after them, but at that moment Gaedrian's hand fell upon his shoulder, and Harry sighed.

"Your potion," Gaedrian said, offering the bottle to him. "You left before you could take it." Harry sipped the headache cure obediently and handed the bottle back to his sire. He liked that Gaedrian knew better than to ask how things had gone, he simply knew by looking at Harry. Or perhaps his sire had seen it in one of his visions. No, Harry knew better than to think that, Gaedrian would have warned him if he had. At the very least, he would have dropped a few hints to prepare him. "Come, Fledge," Gaedrian said, giving a broad and dramatic gesture to motion Harry onward. "We must not go gently into this good night," Gaedrian said. "We must take down a beast or two, first."

"Have I ever told you how very strange you are?" Harry asked conversationally.

"Then what a fine pair we make, my Fledge," Gaedrian grinned. "You have exactly one hour before your professors begin to grow impatient."

"I just woke up!" Harry whinged obediently, grateful for the distraction from his painful thoughts; he went with Gaedrian's act. "Merlin, I miss coffee." Gaedrian laughed good-naturedly at the comment.

……………………….

There was a time when Harry knew that the prospect of two long classes with Severus Snape, back-to-back would have made him scream and run in the opposite direction. Now, Harry found himself thoroughly enjoying these classes. Admittedly he was not as skilled at potion brewing as he was at transfiguration or some of this other courses; but he was not so horrid as Snape would have had him, at one time, believe. Harry's favourite class, however, was occlumency, because for those few hours Harry felt really at peace.

"Breathe deeply, Potter," Severus was instructing, and Harry adjusted fractionally on the cushion on which he was seated. The warmth of the fire he was seated before was aiding his meditation, as was Severus' voice, which Harry was finding lulling. No longer did the dour man insult or berate him; true, Severus was a strict teacher, but it seemed as if something had changed drastically between them, and there was a strange sense of understanding now. Harry found himself relaxing in Severus Snape's company in a way that previously, he had only been able to do with Gaedrian, or Remus. He was finding he trusted the spy implicitly, and that was a very strange thing.

Occlumency lessons consisted of Harry meditating within the confines of a protective circle. He had found it too difficult to learn the art with as many things flitting in and out of his head as he had. Severus was teaching him how to build-up barriers against the unwelcome things. Harry was making progress, but it was slow going, and difficult, and sometimes painful. Severus had put a halt to teaching him legilimency since Harry's gift had developed in such a way that he no longer needed to learn it at all, and Severus' attempt to use legilimency on Harry had been particularly disastrous as he had gone into shock from overexposure.

Harry's gift was one that he could not see the benefit of. Due to his level of magical power, his gift had continued to develop and in some ways, still was developing, and had branched into several areas. The link, as Gaedrian had explained it, was that they were all mind-powers, and so were related. Harry's magic released the Gift in him, and because his magic was so strong, it spilled into other areas. So, while most vampires would develop either skill in divination, or in telepathy, Harry had developed both, along with acute empathy. He was also rather skilled at wandless magic, more so than any normal wizard was usually able to achieve, especially at such a young age. Harry didn't even need a wand at all, but he used it because it was habit, and because he was rather putout by his 'gift'. In his mind, his gift was stupid, and embarrassing, to have such extensive power. There was no benefit to being overwhelmed constantly by other people's thoughts and emotions, by the intrinsic magic of a place, by thoughts of possible futures, And, if he happened to be able to fall soundly into sleep, he was likely awoken by a vision sent care of Voldemort. Harry wondered if he would ever have any peace.

"Must I knock you on the head with a text in order to clear it of all thought?" Severus snarked.

"You always struck me as the sort of person who treated books with reverence," Harry retorted.

"Clear your mind, and let's try to avoid discovering whether or not I'm bluffing," Severus responded.

"Sounds like a plan, sir."

"Be quiet," Severus said, but his tone was amused and exasperated. So Harry closed his eyes, and settled into mediation, propped on what he had come to call 'his pillow' in the middle of 'his protection circle' by the hearth in his professor's private chambers. He thought for a moment about how at home he had come to feel in these rooms, that belonged to a man he used to hate. Somehow, over the summer despite little interaction, their animosity had cooled. And, with the three weeks that had passed since school commenced, Harry had reached a point of peculiar companionship with his professor. As soon as he thought it, he released the thought. Harry had discovered it was better not to analyse Severus Snape, as the man was quite complex. Besides, Harry enjoyed the enigma of him.

----------------------------
End Chapter Three:

----------------------------